Trench roller



Aug. 10, 1954 Filed Dec. 5, 1950 R. J. PLAS TRENCH ROLLER 5 Sheets-Sheet i I N V EN TOR. falo/z J 1 /45.

BY MW R. J. PLAS TRENCH ROLLER Aug. 10, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1950 x w &/L m f, Y B

R. J. PLAS TRENCH ROLLER.

Aug. 10, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 5, 1950 I I I 7 I I I I I l l I lllrlllllillilllllllll INVENTOR. faw/wd' /as.

47 GENE) Aug. 10, 1954 R. J. PLAS 2,635,777

I TRENCH ROLLER Filed Dec. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. fa4afi J 9/:

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ATTGIP/VE'K Aug. 10, 1954 R. J. PLAS 2,685,777

TRENCH ROLLER Filed Dec. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1H:- g; a.

IN VEN TOR. fa4a/7 ni /7.5.

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a trench roller and more particularly to a roller adapted to roll and compact material in a trench alongside a previously built road.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a trench roller capable of operating in a trench along the side of a previously built road and efiectively rolling and compacting material therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a trench roller in which a pair of heavy rollers are mounted at one side of the device for operation in a trench to roll and compact ma terial therein.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a trench roller having a pair of pneumatic tire Wheels arranged for vertical adjustment and located on the opposite side of the machine from the roller thereof and adapted to ride upon the roadway.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a trench roller incorporating an arrangement of rollers adapted to operate in a trench at the side of an existing road and including a pair of laterally spaced, vertically adjustable wheels operating on the existing road and wherein both the wheels and the rollers are steerable.

A still further objectof the invention is the provision of a trench roller including tandem rollers spaced longitudinally with respect to one another for operation in a trench at the side of an existing road and serving to doubly compact and roll material in the trench with each single pass of the trench roller.

The trench roller disclosed herein comprises an improvement in the art of trench rollers in that the material rolling and compacting means in the present trench roller comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced tandem rollers, both of which are steerable and which are adapted to operate in a trench at the side of an existing road and thereby doubly compact and roll material in the trench with each passage of the trench roller thereover as compared with the heretofore known practice of operating a trench roller with a single roller in the trench.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a trench roller including the tandem of longitudinally spaced rollers for operation in a trench at the side of a roadway and a pair of pneumatically tired wheels, each of which is vertically adjustable for operation on the roadway and both of which, along with the tandem rollers, are steerable so that the device may be readily maneuvered with respect to the trenching operation and particularly in following curves and whereby the main portion of the trench roller may be held on a uniformly horizontal plane regardless of the depth of the trench or the materials of the trench in which the rollers of the device are operated.

It is well known that in the widening of various paved roads and the like it is customary to excavate a trench at the side of a road and fill the trench with suitable road building materials which require rolling and compacting to form a suitable road surface, all for the purpose of widening the existing road. It is also known that it has been the custom in effecting such operations to require a minimum rolling and compacting of the materials in the trench and to this end various trench rollers have been devised to position a compacting wheel or roller in the trench while the majority of the machine traveled along the roadway. Such a machine is disclosed, for example, in Patent No. 2,197,395 and the same is provided with a triangular-shaped frame supported by the roller at one corner thereof and by two smaller wheels adapted to run on the roadway and one of the two smaller wheels being steerable and the other of the two smaller wheels being vertically adjustable. Trench rollers of this type have been used for the indicated purpose but have been found to be cumbersome in operation, diflicult in maneuvering and to require the use of a multiplicity of the rollers to obtain sufficient compaction of the material in the trench if a continuously progressing road Widening operation is undertaken.

The present invention provides for the positioning of two substantially larger and heavier compaction rollers in the trench, the rollers operating in tandem and at the same time provides means for supporting the remainder of the trench roller on the roadway and on a pair of vertically adjustable rubber tired wheels whereby the roller may be maintained on a uniform horizontal plane comparable with that of the roadway and whereby the rollers in the trench are desirably positioned with respect to the proper compaction of the material in the trench. Additionally the roller disclosed herein is arranged so that all of the supporting wheels or rollers, as the case may be, are steerable and the device rendered highly maneuverable.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the present invention enables a single trench roller, including the tandem rollers as d sclosed herein, to operate along a road widening project and doubly compact and roll the material in the trench upon a single passage of the machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chose for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the trench roller.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the trench roller illustrating the steering control means and wheel height adjusting means.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed end elevation of one of the vertically adjustable wheels of the trench roller.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of one of the rollers on the trench roller and illustrates the driving means therefor in detail.

Figure 5 is an end elevation with parts broken away illustrating one of the rollers of the trench roller and one of the wheels of the trench roller in operating position.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will be seen that the trench roller disclosed herein comprises a longitudinally extending rectangular frame It including a plurality of cross members ll-l l, several of which support an engine it and a combination transmission and differential unit i3. A drive shaft it is positioned transversely of the transmission and difierential unit 3 and has brake drums i5-l5 and sprockets lc lt on its outermost ends. A water tank it is positioned at one side of the frame ill and the top thereof is provided with a suitable tread 58 forming a floor for the operator. An operator seat i2 is positioned above the tank ll and faces sidewardly.

The frame it is supported at its four corners by a pair of rollers Ell-2e located on one side thereof and by a pair of pneumatic tired wheels 2 l-2l on the other side thereof. Both the rollers EL -2t and, the pneumatic tired wheels -4! are rotatably and pivotally mounted with respect to the frame by means of axle and king pin constructions. The axles carrying the rollers 2il2i3 are indicated by the numerals 2222, the inner ends of which are secured to elements 23 including vertically aligned and spaced orifices through which king pins z t- 34 may be positioned to establish a pivotal connection with brackets 25 secured to the frame ill.

Each of the pneumatic tired wheels ill-25 is journaled on an axle 2% which is secured to a vertically movable plate 2'? which in turn is reciprocally positioned in a vertical guide 23. The plate 2'5 may obviously be fiat, as shown, T-shape n cross section or of channel shape in cross section if desired.

A hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 2a is secured to the vertical guide 28, a piston rod 39 extending therefrom and engaging the axle 26 so that hydraulic pressure directed into the hydraulic cylinder 29 and against the piston therein as by means of a tubular conduit 3! will move the axle and hence the wheel 2! downwardly with respect to the vertical guide 28. This construction is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. By referring to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be observed that the vertical guide 28 is provided with sidewardly extending, vertically aligned and spaced apertured elements 32 through which king pins 33 are positioned to pivot the vertical guide 23, the plate 2! and the Wheel 2! to a bracket which in turn aifixed to the frame it.

By referring again to Figure l of the drawings it will be observed that the two pneumatic tired Wheels Zl-Ei are located on one side of the longitudinally extending frame it and in oppositely disposed relation to the pair of roller 2l-2ll heretofore referred to as being located on the opposite side of the frame H3. The wheels 2 l2l and rollers 2$2il while being located in oppositely disposed pairs are not otherwise connected to one another with the exception of tie rods which are provided for steering the oppositely disposed pairs of wheels and roller 2I-2l and 255 it, respectively, in a uniform manner. The tie rods 35--35 are pivotally secured at their wheel ends to sideward extensions 36 35 formed on the vertical guides 2828 heretofore referred to and the tie rods 3535 are p votally Sficllred at their opposite ends to sideward extensions Lil-3i on the elements 23 which carry the axles 2i2-22 on which the rollers 2ll-2il are located.

Oppositely disposed, sideward extensions 38-38 on the elements 23 are pivotally secured to piston rods dt-Jii which form part of a pair of secondary piston and cylinder assemblies ll lll. The secondary piston and cylinder assemblies til-til are positioned transversely of the frame it of the trench roller and pivoted as at -H-4l thereto. It will thus be seen that when hydraulic pressures are directed into the secondary piston and cylinder assemblie ifl lfl the resulting motion will move the sideward extensions 3t-38 and 37-3? of the elements 23 and thereby cause the axles 2222 to pivot on the king pins 24-4 3. The tie rods will convey the same motion to the sideward extensions 3i3 E3 secured to the vertical guides 5:8 and thereby convey the same steering motion to the wheels 2 l2l.

In Figure 2 of the drawings hydraulic control valves l252 are illustrated as being positioned adjacent the operator sea-t lil for controlling the secondary hydraulic piston and cylinder assem blies 53-48 which are used for steering the trench roller. It will occur to those skilled in the art that a source of hydraulic pressure comprising a reservoir and a pump are provided so that suitable hydraulic pressure is available for operating the steering apparatus as well as the vertical adjustment of the wheels 2l-2i heretofore referred to.

Still referring to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that tubular conduits l3 and Mi connect the valves ll2--i2 with the secondary hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies id-Ail and supply and return lines at and 36 establish communication between the control valves 42-42 and a reservoir and pump 51. Hydraulic control valves it-48 are shown controlling the conduits 3! heretofore referred to as being connected with the hydraulic cylinders 25 on the vertical guides 28 and by means of which the wheels 2 l-2l are adjusted vertically. It will thus be seen that an operator on the seat l9 can readily control the trench roller both with respect to the steering of the rollers and wheels of the device and the vertical adjustment of the wheels so that the frame it and its various mechanisms may be carried on a horizontal plane when the rollers 2Q-2ll are operating in the trench as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings or when the rollers are operating on the same level as the wheels as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In order that driving motion may be conveyed from the sprockets I i-46 to the rollers -46, a pair of stub shafts 49i9 are journaled in bearings 50-5l on the frame H3 at the sides thereof adjacent the wheels 2i2i, the stub shafts 4949 being provided with sprockets 5 l5l. A chain 52 connects one of the sprockets 5| with one of the sprockets i6 heretofore referred to as being located on the drive shaft i l.

A jack shaft 53 is positioned transversely of the frame it journaled on bearings E i-54 and pro vided with sprockets 55--55 on its opposite ends. A chain 56 connects one of the sprockets 55 with the other one of the sprockets 5! and a chain 51 connects the other one of the sprockets 55 with the other one of the sprockets i5. Thus, driving motion originating in the engine if and conveyed through the transmission and differential unit 13 to the drive shaft 44 turns the sprockets l6|6 and hence the sprockets 5l5i by way of the chains 52, 51 and 55. The motion thus imparted the stub shafts 59 is conveyed to the rollers 2020 by way of drive shafts 5858 provided with double universal joints 59 and 60, the universal joints 58 being located directly over the king pins 2424 heretofore referred to and serving to connect the drive shafts 58-58 with secondary stub shafts 6 4-6! which are journaled on the elements 23 and provided with pinions 6262. The pinions 6262 are each engaged on the periphery of ring gears 5363 which are in turn affixed as by bolts 64 to the rollers 2020. It will thus be seen that the trench roller is driven by motion imparted directly to the rollers 20-40 and that the manner of conveying the motion to the rollers 2ll-2l is such that they are able to be steered by the steering mechanism hereinbefore described and including the secondary hydraulic and piston cylinder assemblies All-49.

By referring now to Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings it will be observed that the center point of both the rollers 20-26 and the wheels 2 |2l are equally spaced with respect to the center lines of the king pins 2424 and 33, respectively, thereby facilitating easy steering control of the trench roller. By referring to Figure 5 in particular it will be seen that this spacing occurs by reason of the intermediate positioning of the axle 26, plate 2? and vertical guide 28, which construction is not duplicated on the roller side of the trench roller.

In Figure 2 of the drawings the rollers 26-20 and the pneumatic tired wheels '2 i-2l are shown on a flat surface with the wheels in their lowermost position and thereby maintaining the rollers 2020 in horizontal relation to the road surface. In Figure 5 of the drawings one of the rollers 20 is shown operating in a trench at some depth below the surface of a roadway while one of the wheels 2i is shown operating on the relatively higher surface of the roadway. The horizontal alignment of the frame fit is maintained as the wheel 2| is in elevated position and the horizontal surface of the roller 2c is thus maintained in desired relation to the material in the trench. In Figure 5 of the drawings the surface is indicated by the letter R and the surface of the material in the trench by the letter T.

By referring again to Figure l of the drawings it Will be seen that when the trench roller is to be operated about a curve, the rollers 2il2ii as well as the wheels 21-21 may be steered in oppo- 6 site directions so that both ends of the trench roller conform with the radius of the curve being followed and thereby enable a perfect rolling operation to be accomplished with both rollers 2020 in the trench.

It will be observed that when steering action takes place, the secondary hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 49 used for moving the wheels 2l-2| and the rollers 2020 pivot upon their end pivots ll in following the steering motion and the relative positioning of the sideward projections 38-38 to which the piston rods thereof are ivotally connected.

Still referring to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be observed that equal driving and braking action may be imparted the rollers 2020 as the driving action originates through the drive shaft 54 and is uniformly conveyed to the rollers 20-40. therefrom and the brake drums 15 are provided on the drive shaft i4 so that equal braking action may be applied to the rollers 20-20 through the driving mechanism. This enables the trench roller to be operated under abnormal conditions, for example, on wet or slippery materials or surfaces without sideward slippage or other undesired action. In this respect it will be recognized that the pneumatic tired wheels 2|-2l normally riding the road contribute greatly to maintaining the trench roller in longitudinal alignment with the trench in which the rollers 20- 20 are operating.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the frame [0, including the cross pieces I i and the rollers 2920 are heavily constructed so that the total weight of the device as directed by the rollers 2020 on the material in the trench is suflicient to compact the same satisfactorily and the two rollers result'in double compaction and rolling of such material with a single passage of the machine.

It will also be seen that the trench roller may be operated in either direction with equal ease of control and guidance as the operator seat is located at the side of the device and above the trench in which the rollers 2fl26 normally operate and the operator is therefore in a position to continually observe the location of the rollers 20-49 in the trench and the action resulting from their operation.

A further advantage of the construction will occur to those skilled in the art and the same comprises the unusually large diameter of the rollers 20-20 made possible and practical by the design and construction of the trench roller and which large diameter results in uniform compacting of material being rolled rather than bunching or crowding of material before the roller as in the case of rollers of smaller diameter.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that it is desirable under some condition to provide for the wetting of the surfaces of the rollers ZlJ-Qfi. This is particularly true when the rollers are employed in a finishing operation in which material incorporating a bituminous binder is employed. The water tank H is therefore provided for the purpose of supplying liquid for wetting the rollers 2il2fi and which liquid'may be applied in any convenient manner from the tank H. The tank I! also adds weight to the trench roller which is desirable in the compaction of some materials.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention have been met by the trench roller disclosed herein. 1

Having. thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinal spaced supporting Wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame and vertically adjustable relative thereto, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels, each of said compaction rollers being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, means effecting pivoting of said compaction rollers for effecting steering of the compaction rollers, means coupling said compaction rollers with the corresponding supporting wheels on the opposing side of the frame for simultaneous coupled steering of correspondin supporting wheels and compaction rollers, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces.

2. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame and vertically adjustable relative thereto, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels, each of said compaction rollers being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, longitudinal extensions on the pivotal connections of said compaction rollers for movement with the latter, first means connected to the pivotal connections of said rollers for effecting pivoting, steering movement of the rollers, second means coupling said compaction rollers with the corresponding supporting wheels on the other side of the frame for simultaneous coupled steering of corresponding supporting wheels and compaction rollers, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces.

3. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame and vertically adjustable relative thereto, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels, each of said compaction rollers being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, longitudinal extensions on the pivotal connections of said compaction rollers for movement with the latter, first means connected to the pivotal connections of said rollfor effecting pivoting, steering movement of the rollers, second means coupling said compaction rollers with the corresponding supporting wheels on the other side of the frame for simul taneously coupled steering of corresponding supporting wheels and compaction rollers, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces, said first means including separately controlled fluid pressure means connected to each of said longitudinal extensions.

i. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame, said frame including a pivotally mounted guide for vertically adjustably supporting each of said supporting wheels on said frame, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels and being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, means effecting pivoting of said compaction rollers for effecting steering of the compaction rollers, means coupling each compaction roller with the guide for one of the wheels on the opposing side of the frame for simultaneously coupled steering of corresponding supporting wheels and compaction rollers, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces.

5. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame and vertically adjustable relative thereto, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels, each of said compaction rollers being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, means effecting pivoting of said compaction rollers for effecting steering of the compaction rollers, means coupling said compaction rollers with the corresponding supporting wheels on the opposing side of the frame for simultaneously coupled steering of corresponding support-wheels and compaction rollers, and power drive means connected to said steerable compaction rollers for effecting rotation thereof to propel the frame.

6. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said wheels being located on one side of said frame, said frame including a pivotally mounted guide for vertically adjustably supporting each of said supporting wheels on said frame, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels and being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, Ion-- gitudinal extensions on the pivotal connections of said compaction rollers and said guides for movement therewith, first means interconnecting the longitudinal extensions of the supporting wheel guide and compaction roller at each end of the frame for simultaneous movement, and second means effecting pivoting of said compaction rollers and their extensions, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces.

7. In a trench roller, the combination with a frame of a pair of longitudinally spaced supporting wheels for operation on a roadway, said Wheels being located on one side of said frame, said frame including a pivotally mounted guide for vertically adjustably supporting each of said supporting wheels on said frame, and a pair of longitudinally spaced compaction rollers located on the other side of said frame in position to travel along a lowered road surface and in fixed vertical relationship with said frame, each compaction roller being located opposite one of the wheels and being pivotally connected to said frame so as to be steerable relative thereto, longitudinal extensions on the pivotal connections of said compaction rollers and said guides for movement therewith, first means interconnecting the longitudinal extensions of the supporting wheel guide and compaction roller at each end of the frame for simultaneous movement, and second means effecting pivoting of said compaction rollers and their extensions, and power drive means for effecting movement of the trench roller over the supporting surfaces, said second means including fluid pressure means operable to individually control the pivoting movement of the compaction rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Macfarren July 9, 1907 Damaizin Dec, 16, 1919 Radies Oct. 21, 1924 Berry July 19, 1927 Steed et a1 July 4, 1939 Keeler Apr. 16, 1940 Aitken Apr. 29, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES Roads and Streets, page 79, July 15, 1940. 

